Heating apparatus



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 J. M. AUFIERO HEATING APPARATUS March 10, 1953 Filed0012. l, 1951 INVENTOR John M. Auflero %Z; ATTORNEY \IN ON March 10,1953 J. M.-AUFIIERO 2,631,217

HEATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 1, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR. John M. Aufiero ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 10,1953

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEATING APPARATUS John M. Aufiero, Ilandome,N. Y.

Application October 1, 1951, Serial No. 249,105

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to a heating apparatus and moreparticularly to an electric, auxiliary heating apparatus having meansincorporated therein for circulating air to be warmed over the heatingelements and then circulating the warm air throughout the space desiredto be heated.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric heatingapparatus which will operate at maximum efiiciency and will thereforetake maximum advantage of the electrical energy supplied to it.

Heaters of the type here considered, heretofore in use, have beenunsatisfactory and inefiicient for several reasons. Those which haverelied on radiation as the sole means of distributing heat into the areato be warmed have little or no effect outside of the immediate vicinityof the heating apparatus. Where such devices are placed in large rooms,close proximity to the heating apparatus is necessary in order for anywarmth to be derived therefrom. In those types of heating apparatus moreclosely similar to the type here under consideration, that is, thosetypes of heating apparatus which incorporate means for forcing air overthe heating element, have been inefficient in use in that the aircirculated through the device does not come into contact with the totalarea of the heating element.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide astructure in which the air carried through the heating apparatus willimpinge upon and be carried over the entire area of the heating elementitself. Devices of the type heretofore in use become very warm, but theheat generated is not carried away from the heating apparatus itselfinto the area desired to be heated. Thus, while in the immediatevicinity of the heating apparatus the temperature may rise to veryextreme degrees, out of this immediate vicinity there is not asufiicient increase in warmth. It has therefore been necessary toprovide large units having large capacities to heat rooms of normalsize. It is an object of the present invention to overcome thisdeficiency in devices heretofore in use by providing means to insurethat the heat generated by the heating element will be conducted awayfrom the heating apparatus and carried into the space desired to beheated.

An apparatus embodying the present invention distributes heat byradiation as well as by forced convection, thus operating at maximumefiiciency, substantially all of the air conducted through the heatingapparatus will impinge upon the heating element itself or upon the grillwork which is heated by conduction from the heating element. Thus therewill be no storing of heat in the heating apparatus itself, but rather ageneral distribution of warmth throughout the entire space in which atemperature rise is desired.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide means foraccommodating the expansion of the parts associated with the heatingelement to prevent their undergoing unnecessary strains due to thisexpansion while at the same time holding them firmly in position againstany vibration or rotational movement.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a structure notonly highly efficient, but one which is rugged and durable. Moreover, astructure, embodying the present invention, having all the advantagesabove set forth may be manufactured easily, the assembly thereof beingaccomplished quickly and with very little labor. Thus, a heating deviceembodying all the advantages of the present invention may bemanufactured very inexpensively.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will bemore readily apparent from the following description and drawing of onespecific embodiment thereof. In the draw- Fig. l is a partially brokenaway front view of a heating apparatus embodying the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 3-3 on Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken along the line 4-4 on Fig. 3.

In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings thecasing Ill which forms the principal covering for the apparatus issupported by brackets ll secured to base l2 at l3. The casing Iii ispivotally mounted to the brackets il at 14, thus the casing I!) may beconveniently positioned at any angular position relative to thehorizontal base l2.

The back or end covering portion 15 is provided with a plurality ofinlet apertures it through which air to be warmed may be drawn by fanblades I! and then forced over the heating coils I8 of the heatingelement [9 and outwardly into the space to be heated through grill 2D.

The fan motor 2| is secured to the back portion 15 of the casing H) byconventional means 7 and is located in the center of the substantiallycylindrically shaped casing l0, thus the shaft 3 22 of the motor 2|which drives fan blades I1 is coextensive with the central axis of thecylindrically shaped casing l0.

Positioned between the heating element l9 and the fan I! is a reflector23. The reflector 23 is concave in shape and acts to reflect radiantheat from the heating coils I8 outwardly from the heating apparatus. Thereflector 23 is provided with a central aperture 24, and an inwardlyextending flange 2 5 extends around the periphery of aperture 24. Theflange 25 acts as an air direction bafile and insures that all the airdrawn in through apertures l6 by fan blades it will be carried outwardlythrough grill 2b. As can be seen best in Fig. 3, the flange 25 overlapsthe fan blades I! by a small amount. The casing i6 is provided with anouter channel shaped lip 2'5 into which the outer flange 29 of thereflector 23 fits.

The grill work 28 comprises a plurality of circular hoops 21 heldtogether by arcuately shaped bars 23. The innermost hoop 27a is alsoreceived within channel shaped lip 23. The radius of the hoop 21a issubstantially equal to the inner radius of the lip 26, and when rtedinto the lip 25 it will be held firmly therein. The width of the lip 25is substantially equal to the cross sectional diameter of the hoop Wireitself, plus the thickness of the outer flange 2d of reflector Thus,when assembled, the grill will, self, act to hold the reflector 23firmly seated in position.

The lip 26 is provided with a retaining portion 36. A notch 3| in theretaining portion 33 is large enough to receive one of the radial bars2'8 and aids in preventing the grill it from rotating within the channelshaped lip A hollow channel bar'34 shaped to conform to theconfiguration of the grill 2! and easing ll? secures the grill 2G to thecasing iii, the channel bar being permanently secured at its outer nd tothe grill 2G and removably secured to the casing it by bolt 35.

The heating element is is supported by long threaded member 33 securedat its outer end to the grill 2c. The heating element it "comprises aceramic insulator 3t and the heating coils (E2. The ceramic insulator isfrusto-conical in shape and has the smaller end thereof directed towardsthe fan blades 11. A plurality of grooves ill are located in theperipheral surface of the ceramic insulator It is within these groovesthat the heating coils is are held. The grooves act to properly positionthe coils and prevent their movement relative to one another so thatthey cannot comeinto contact with one another causing a short circuit.

A ceramic cover 42 fits into the large end of insulator The cover 42 isprovided with small projections 53 which fit into slots or grooves inthe insulator 39; thus while the cover :32 cannot move eithertransversely relative to the insulator 33 or circularly about thelongitudinal axis of the insulator it can move a small distance alongthe direction of said longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis of theinsulator eing represented by the threaded member 353. It should benoted that the slots 4 are much larger than the projections d3 leavingample room for air to flow through the slots 45 as will be moreparticularly described hereinafter.

Positioned between the ceramic cover 32 and the grill 2!) is a metallicheat conductor sleeve 4% which acts to conduct some of the.heatgenerated bythe heating coils lfiyto-the grill '20.

The threaded member 38 which carries the heating element 59 is providedwith a nut 48 at the outer end thereof and a nut 49 at the inner endthereof. An intermediate nut 50 clamps the ceramic insulator 39 andcover 42 against the inner nut 49, thus the two nuts 49 and 50 act tohold the ceramic insulator 39 and cover 42 tightly in position on thethreaded member 38 clamping the cover 42 against the outer end ofmetallic sleeve 5!. The sleeve 5| encompasses the threaded member 38 andextends from a washer 52 positioned against the inner end surface of theinsulator 39 to a washer 53 positioned against the inner surface of theceramic cover 42.

The sleeve ti is necessary to accommodate the difference in the amountof expansion between the ceramic insulator 39 and the metallic threadedmember 33. When the heating coils it are heated, the heat generated willcause the threaded member 38 to expand in a greater amount than theexpansion by the ceramic insulator 39. To prevent this expansion frompermitting the cover d2 from becoming loose and free to rattle, themetallic sleeve 5| is provided. The sleeve 5i will expand at the samerate as the threaded member 38; thus, the ceramic cover 2 will always beheld firmly against the sleeve 5 8. Expansion on heating will move theceramic cover d2 outwardly a small amount with the projections slidingwithin slots i l.

Electrical energy is brought into the device by wire or conductor 55 andis lead to the heating coils it by wire 55. As can be noted from Fig. 3the wire 56 is lead through the hollow channel bar 3 The casing isprovided with a carrying and positioning handle 58 and with a controlswitch not shown.

In operation the fan motor 2! and the heating coils it are activatedsimultaneously and the coils it cannot be activated independently of thefan motor.

The air is drawn in through apertures It in the back of easing by fanblades H and directed against the heating coils it. It should be notedthat heating coils i8 lying on the surface of the frusto-conicalinsulator 39 are positioned in staggered relationship with respect toone another and that the smallest end of insulator 35 is nearest the fanblades ll. Thus the air carried through and over the heating element l9will impinge equally against all of the heating coils 8, insuringmaximum operating efiiciency by insuring that the maximum amount of heatwill be carried away from the heating coils by the air directed againstthem by fan blades 11.

The insulator 39 is provided at its inner end with a plurality ofapertures 50. These apertures permit air to be carried through theinterior of the insulator 39 and out'through slots l i, carrying awaythe heat stored within the insulator.

The heat conductor sleeve it acts to conduct the heat from the heatingelement It to the grill so. The grill will thus rise in temperature, butthe air flowing through it will carry the heat away from the grill isand into the space desired to be sated. It can therefore be seen thatheat is imparted to the air in a most efficient manner and substantiallyall of the heat generated by the heating coils themselves will becarried away by the air flowing through the apertures.

I claim:

1. A heating apparatus comprising a casing,

said casing having an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening, aheating element, means to draw air into said casing through said airinlet opening, force it against said heating eiement, and cause it toflow out of said casing through said air outlet opening, said heatingelement comprising heating coils, a support member for said heatingcoils, said support member being constituted of a heat resistantmaterial and being frusto-conical in shape, the axis of said supportmember being along the line of the flow of the air, and the smaller endof said frusto-conical support member being nearest to said means forforcing the air, said heating coil being positioned in concentriccircles about the outer periphery of the slanting sides of said supportmember, said support member comprising a frusto-conical body portion,said frusto-ccnical body portion being open at the widest end thereof,and a substantially dial; like end covering portion fitting into andoverlying said open end of said body portion, said end covering portionbeing movable axially of said body portion, means to prevent relativerotation between said end covering portion and said body portion aboutthe axis of said body portion, and a metallic connecting member securingtogether said body portion and said end covering portion.

2. A heating apparatus comprising a casing, said casing having an airinlet opening and an air outlet opening, a heating element, means todraw air into said casing through said air inlet opening, force itagainst said heating element, and cause it to fiow out of said casingthrough said air outlet opening, said heating element comprising heatingcoils, a support member for said heating coils, said support memberbeing constituted of a heat resistant material and being frusto-conicalin shape, the axis of said support member being along the line of theflow of the air, and the smaller end of said frusto-conical supportmember being nearest to said means for forcing the air, said heatingcoil being positioned in concentric circles about the outer periphery ofthe slanting sides of said support member, said support membercomprising a frusto-conical body portion, said frustoconical bodyportion being open at the widest end thereof and a substantially disklike end covering portion fitting into and overlying said open end ofsaid body portion, said end covering portion being movable axially ofsaid body portion, means to prevent relative rotation between said endcovering portion and said body portion about the axis of said bodyportion, a metallic threaded member joining together said end coveringportion and said body portion and a metallic sleeve having substantiallythe same coefficient of expansion as said threaded member, said metallicsleeve having one end thereof positioned firmly against the innersurface of the small end of the frusto-conical body portion and theother end thereof positioned firmly against the inner surface of saidcoverin member.

3. A heating apparatus comprising a casing, said casing having an airinlet opening and an air outlet opening, a heating element, means todraw air into said casing through said air inlet opening, force itagainst said heating element, and cause it to flow out of said casingthrough said air outlet opening, said heating element comprising heatingcoils, a support member for said heating coils, said support memberbeing constituted of a heat resistant material and being frusto-conicalin shape, the axis of said support member being along the line of thefiow of the air, and the smaller end of said frustoconical supportmember being nearest to said means for forcing the air, said heatingcoil being positioned in concentric circles about the outer periphery ofthe slanting sides of said support member; and a gri l covering theoutlet opening and a heat conducting sleeve forming a heat conductingconnection between said heating element and said grill.

4. A heating apparatus comprising a heating element, a casing, saidcasing having a plurality of inl t openings at one end thereof and beingentirely open the other end thereof, a grill covering said entirely openend and located completely outside of said heating element, means fordrawing air into said casing through said inlet openings and forcingsaid air over said heating element and out through said grill, saidheating element having heating coils positioned directly in the path offlow of said air and a heat conducting member joining said heatingelement and said grill.

5. A heating apparatus comprising a heating element, a casing, saidcasing having a plurality of inlet openings at one end thereof and beingentirely open the other end thereof, a grill covering said open end andlocated completely outside of said heating element, means for drawingair into said casing through said inlet openings and forcing said airover said heating element and out through said grill, said heatingelement having heating coils positioned directly in the path of flow ofsaid air, said heating element comprising a hollow support member andheating coils, said hollow support member having an aperture at theinner end thereof adja cent to said means for forcing the air to flowthrough the apparatus and said support member having an aperture at theouter end thereof adjacent to said grill whereby air will be directed toflow through the interior of said support member.

6. A heating apparatus as claimed in claim 5 including a heat conductingsleeve forming a heat conducting connection between said heating elementand said grill, and a heat reflector positioned within said casingbetween said means for forcing the air and said heating element, andsaid heat reflector being shaped to reflect the heat generated by saidheating element outwardly through said grill.

JOHN M. AUFIERO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,383,564 Phillipson July 5, 19211,674,017 Marsden June 19, 1928 2,334,501 Moeller Nov. 16, 19432,523,787 Spooner, Jr Sept. 26, 1950

